Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has made it clear that he is a strong supporter of comprehensive marijuana reform at the federal level. For the past couple of months, he has been working with Senator Cory Booker and Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden on a bill that would federally legalize cannabis and regulate sales. Dubbed the Cannabis Administration & Opportunity Act (CAOA), Schumer’s bill was first unveiled in 2021 to mixed reviews. The draft bill intended to deschedule cannabis at the federal level, expunge prior nonviolent cannabis convictions from people’s records, allow states to continue running their own cannabis markets, and even allow people with prior cannabis convictions to petition for resentencing. It would also use some of the funds raised from marijuana sales for programs that support communities that were disproportionately affected by the war on drugs. Schumer has now revealed that he will not introduce his Cannabis Administration & Opportunity Act this month due to a timeline extension. The additional time will be spent working on various provisions with the help of more than 10 Senate committees and input from several federal agencies.
CannabisNewsWire, 04/25/2022 04:20:00